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The future of the automotive industry

Carbon Motors is a new car company that is gearing up to build cars for just one kind of customers: police departments.

Their car will be more expensive than a Dodge Charger off the lot, but competitive with the standard cars'price once the special components are added (which will all be standard on a Carbon E7).

The Carbon E7 will have a hose-down back seat to wash off blood, semen, drugs, spit, urine or whatever collects back there.

It will have a top speed of 155 mph.

It will be more fuel efficient than any current police car in use.

It will be rated to absorb a rear impact of 75 mph (whatever that means!)

The rear doors swing wide open and open toward the back, making it easier to shove uncooperative perps into the back.

Gun racks are built in, making weapons more accessible, and the glass and front panels are bulletproof.

The cars will never fall into private hands the way Steve Earle's father bought his drug-smuggling big black Dodge "at an auction at the Mason's lodge." Instead, whichever police department buys a Carbon will guarantee to either sell it to another police force or else sell it back to Carbon to be dismantled.

Right now, the town leaders of Connorsville are trying to lure Carbon to build there at the site of the former Visteon/Ford plant. Best of luck to them.

Re: The future of the automotive industry

Ok, so this is original. But how is this improving things? Are law-enforcement vehicles really be the big problem? I don't know. This is cool but shouldn't we be diverting that great American ingenuity to bigger picture things like fuel-efficient, environmentally-friendly, cheap cars for consumers?

This is cool but shouThis is cool but shouldn't we be diverting that great American ingenuity to bigger picture things like fuel-efficient, environmentally-friendly, cheap cars for consumers? ldn't we be diverting that great American ingenuity to bigger picture things like fuel-efficient, environmentally-friendly, cheap cars for consumers?

Absolutely. The reason I'm cheered by this is that almost as soon as the Big 3 seem to be teetering and people seriously ask if the end is in sight, bright new ideas spring forth. This is only one of many innovations we'll see (I hope.) The Tata Nano is another.

Re: The future of the automotive industry

Ok, so this is original. But how is this improving things? Are law-enforcement vehicles really be the big problem? I don't know. This is cool but shouldn't we be diverting that great American ingenuity to bigger picture things like fuel-efficient, environmentally-friendly, cheap cars for consumers?

Motorcycle makers long ago realized that occupying niche markets is a far more profitable situation.

Hummer was a fantastically profitable company before lashing itself to the broad consumer auto industry Moby Dick style.

Nothing wrong with niche products, IMO.

“Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts.” - Winston Churchill

“If you can't be a good example, then you'll just have to serve as a horrible warning.” - Catherine Aird

Re: The future of the automotive industry

Motorcycle makers long ago realized that occupying niche markets is a far more profitable situation.

Hummer was a fantastically profitable company before lashing itself to the broad consumer auto industry Moby Dick style.

Nothing wrong with niche products, IMO.

Oh, I agree. But, to me, is this really that news worthy. Good for this company. Kudos. But the problem is much bigger and I don't think this even represents a step in the right direction because it's not even targeting consumers.

Re: The future of the automotive industry

Oh, I agree. But, to me, is this really that news worthy. Good for this company. Kudos. But the problem is much bigger and I don't think this even represents a step in the right direction because it's not even targeting consumers.

Actually, I think it is newsworthy because I'm glad I know what the hell that thing will be when one comes screaming behind me when I try to get home from work too fast on the Beltway.

Re: The future of the automotive industry

Only downside I see is that when the inevitible repairs for the vehicles roll around, there's only one supplier. I work in supply chain management and believe me, when there's only one supplier, you pay triple and sometimes quadruple what you would in a normal situation. In fact, the supplier can basically charge you whatever they want because they know you need it.

Re: The future of the automotive industry

Only downside I see is that when the inevitible repairs for the vehicles roll around, there's only one supplier. I work in supply chain management and believe me, when there's only one supplier, you pay triple and sometimes quadruple what you would in a normal situation. In fact, the supplier can basically charge you whatever they want because they know you need it.

They 'could' address that concern off the bat with making some parts 'compatible' (interchangeable) with existing parts. And are they going to build these from the ground up, all inhouse? ....Or will they utilize Ford/GM/Chrysler/etc for motors, transmissions, etc?

OTOH, maybe the idea of overpriced, one of a kind and one place to get the parts IS part of the business model.

Interesting thought...

Nuntius was right. I was wrong. Frank Vogel has retained his job.

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"A player who makes a team great is more valuable than a great player. Losing yourself in the group, for the good of the group, that’s teamwork."

the supplier can basically charge you whatever they want because they know you need it.

They could gouge the customer once. But then police departments would always have the option to go back to standard passenger cars. I'm sure the company knows they won't succeed in the long run if the don't give good value. Police Department buy new cars every few years, so they'll rely on repeat business.

I'm optimistic about the fresh start at a more appropriate scale. I imagine there are dozens of innovations of both product and process that can come out now.

Re: The future of the automotive industry

So, I would really have to be convinced about safety and comfort. As a realtor I have put about 65000 on my car in two years. These features outweigh all others. And I cannot change my driving habits...it's just part of the business.

If you get to thinkin’ you’re a person of some influence, try orderin’ somebody else’s dog around..

Re: The future of the automotive industry

I read somewhere that the most profitable tobacco company was "American Spirit." You see, they came along WAY after all of the health lawsuits and way after all the distributorships and labor and farming agreements.

They were able to make their own deals and start fresh. Combine that with their marketing as the "healthy" cigarette for the "sophisticated" crowd (both totally laughable ideas when you think about them) and you've got a monster business.

I just like it when someone sees a need in the marketplace and fills it.

I'm a graphic designer that does not ever bother with regular design clients. Instead, I found a niche and squeeze everything I can out of it.

A large component of the U.S. economy is the result of successful small businesses. To illustrate the role that small businesses play in the U.S. economy, statistics found in small business textbooks (e.g., Scarborough & Zimmerer, 2003) indicate that small businesses account for the following:

* 98.5 percent of all businesses;

* 75.8 percent of the nation's new jobs;

* 52 percent of the private sector workforce;

* 51 percent of private sector GDP; and

* 47 percent of business sales.

“Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts.” - Winston Churchill

“If you can't be a good example, then you'll just have to serve as a horrible warning.” - Catherine Aird

An executive with Anderson-based Bright Automotive Inc. believes central Indiana is the "silicon valley of the electrification of vehicles." The comment from Vice President of Marketing and Sales Lyle Shuey comes as the plug-in hybrid vehicle-maker prepares for the unveiling of its concept car this month in Washington, D.C. He says the EV1 by General Motors Corp. (NYSE: GM) and the powertrain systems for other major electric drive vehicles were developed in the state. Shuey says Bright Automotive decided to locate in central Indiana to tap into that expertise.